Genealogy Chat

I'm posting on behalf of a gentleman in my family tree who is a distant cousin. He was born 1941 to Rose Price, no father named on the birth cert. His mum was in the land army in S Wales (may have been in Carmarthenshire although he was born at his grandparents house in Bridgend), and she met her boyfriend Walter 'Wally' Northwell. He wasnt allowed to marry her when she fell pregnant, we think his family weren't happy, and he and Rose split up. That was the last Rose saw of Wally. Now Wally's son would like to trace his ancestry BUT the mystery is that no Walter Northwell appears to have existed......no birth, marriage or death record, or 1911 census entry. We dont know when he was born, and even if he emigrated there should have been a British birth. His family were farmers from Carmarthenshire. Ive been searching for around four years on and off, but I wish I could have some news for this man. Ive obviously googled the Northwell name, its incredibly rare (rarer than it sounds), with none in Wales. On the 1911 there were none in Wales either. Even if I cant find Wally, I would have expected his parents/family to be around somewhere in 1911 and descendents to be around now - but nothing!!!
I should add, around 1946 Rose took her son on the bus to a farm in Carmarthenshire and a woman came out with a broom screaming at them in Welsh, so Rose hastily retreated with her son. So we presume this was Wally's home, or parents home. Rose would never talk about Wally and neither would her parents.

I presume you have checked out the WW1 service record on Ancestry for a Walter Leslie Northwell.
Although he does appear to have been born on Isle of Man

Probably too old as 27 on enlistment in 1915

Rare isn't the word for it, Romany! freebmd has only one entry for the name Northwell up until 1950 and that is in 1840 for the death in Barnstaple of George Northwell.

I wonder if the name was misheard?

What about this birth?

Births Dec 1920 (>99%)
NORTHWOOD Walter J Davies Llandilofawr 11a 2481

It is the only birth in Carmarthenshire between 1911 and 1925 for a Walter with a surname containing North.

I did wonder about Northwall but this seems just as rare

These would seem to be the parents of the Walter I posted. The Davies men are corn millers and Walter a Collier so perhaps the occupations rule that one out:

1911 Wales Census
about Walter Northwood
Name: Walter Northwood
Age in 1911: 27
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884
Relation to Head: Husband
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Hyssington, Montgomery, Wales
Civil parish: Llangathen
County/Island: Carmarthenshire
Country: Wales
Street Address: Court Henry Mill Golden Grove Carmarthen
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 1
Occupation: Collier Lumberman
Registration district: Llandilofawr
Registration District Number: 598
Sub-registration district: Llangathen
ED, institution, or vessel: 02
Household schedule number: 51
Piece: 32949
Household Members: Name Age
William Davies 63
Ann Davies 65
John Davies 34
Jane Northwood 30 daughter
Walter Northwood 27

There are just 5 people in Wales with this name listed on 192.com. Might be worth contacting them maybe?
Jan

I think this is the medal card for the Army Record GlitterBaby posted - the regiment and number tie up:

Walter L Rothwell
Regiment or Corps: Liverpool Regiment, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Defence Corps
Regimental Number: 268311, 47721, 88998

SORRY for late reply, I had a phonecall then laptop battery went dead. Just reading your replies now, thankyou so much for reading my post.
*Brummiejan, I think they will be the people Im already involved with. They are Lynne, Derek, Ian and Claire (they dont mind me mentioning names). Who is the 5th person?
*Potty, you may have struck on something!!! I wonder if the name has been misheard (or he gave a slightly different surname to Rose?) oh my Lord, I'll tell Derek. Oh, he was a collier...but I suppose if his family were farmers its still a possible. Thankyou for the census listing.

There are 2 births for the name Northwell in Ogwr Wales one 1978 and 1981.
So at one point there were people with that name in Wales.

Maryb.

Mary, they are my distant family and Wallys grandchildren but thankyou for taking the time. x

No problem,I realised that after I posted as I saw the parents of the two.

The guy born 1941 changed his name then!!

Maryb.

Yes, he was born as a Price (mums maiden name) but became Northwell later on.

Just spoke to Dereks daughter (Wallys granddaughter), the farm Rose and Derek visited in 1946 was in Dryslwyn, the registration district for that area is indeed Llandilofawr, where Walter J Davies Northwood was born. Derek and his daughter are taking a drive to the farm if he can remember where it was.

According to the telephone directory there are still people called Northwood at Dryslwyn, so if that is his name (not Northwell) he may have living relatives there.

:-) Thankyou Andys mum! Im going to pass that info on now. I hadnt even thought of the telephone directory and that's how I found my father 13 years ago. Many thanks.

Hi,
There is a Walter B(ernard) NORTHALL born 1917 Lancashire who appears to have enlisted (as per 1941 UK arrival listed as Pilot....all the passengers appear to be military)
Although he does appear to marry 1941 it may explain why they couldn't marry.
Kellie

Kellie, that may be something! Northall sounds so like Northwell, and Rose couldnt read or write well........ I'll pass that onto the family now, they'll appreciate it. xx :-)

Looks like Walter's dad died the same year as he was born.

He had 2 brothers: William Samuel who died in WWII and David John who died in 2004.

Walter also died in 2004. Not seeing a marriage for him or David. William married but I don't see any children.

Rose

Rose, many thanks.....I have William as being captured by the Japanese, I didnt have David. Its so sad if Walter never married, I couldnt find a marriage for him either, his family (I presume then his mother) stopped him marrying his girlfriend Rose, the mother of his son. x